Tough breaks
by Ceras-Victoria
Summary: Another one of those fics w a sis in it. Chap 3 up! PLEAZE R&R! BTW, any Outsiders characters DON'T belong to me, they're SE Hinton's. (Candy Matthews is mine though!)
1. Default Chapter

I was only a few blocks away from our house coming back home with two armloads of groceries. I was looking over at the poster that was on the wall. Maralyn Moroe. She's really pretty. I wish that I was her, then I'd be able to be rich and famous and pretty. Oh well, the guys says that I'm a hot lookin gal. So I have to be happy that the guys think that I'm cute. Even though I have brunette hair, and Two-Bit Mathews likes blondes, he told me that he'd choose me over them blondes anyday. I have Dark brown eyes. My hair is about the length of my lower back, that is only when I don't have my hair up or something.  
We live in this kind of rotten neighborhood. The gang don't seem to mind it, but I do, but not so much as I used to. On the east side of Tulsa, your labled as a Greaser, or hood. You've got hardly any money, you wear your hair long, wear hair grease, girls wear short skirts, and too much makeup. But that's one thing I never went in for, make up, and short skirts, I prefered blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a plaid shirt over that.  
Most of us get jumped by Socs, or the socially elite. They are the snobby west-side rich kids. They get all the breaks, throw beer-blasts, break windows at parties, and jump greasers. They wear expensive clothing, and could get away with murder. In our neighborhood, you gotta stick together w/ your friends, or you could wind up dead or something. You also gotta walk with someone or us greasers'll get jumped.  
I was just about to get the groceries into the ice box as I heard a scream. I knew that scream well. I quickly dropped the bag, even though it had eggs in them, and made a dead run towards Ponyboy, my brother, who was only two blocks away. I quickly spotted my brother Ponyboy getting beat up on by the  
  
Socs. My two other brothers were just now showing up along with the rest of  
  
the gang. The gang and me started beating up the Socs, and they started to run.  
Darry picked up Pony under the armpits, and shaked him. He asked Pony how he was. "I'm ok, Quit shaking me, Darry, I'm ok."  
Darry suddenly stoped. "Sorry."  
Darrel, who we called Darry, was a year younger than me. He looked exactly like my dad, but he kinda acts the opposite of him. Our dad was only 40 when he and Mom died. He's six-foot-two, 20 years old, broad-shouldered,  
  
and muscular. He's got dark-brown hair that kicks out in the front and a sight cowlick in the back. He was almost similar to Dad in every way, shape, and form, except for his eyes. They looked like blue-green ice. They have a determined set to them, just like Darry. He uses his head a lot, and has a hard time understanding that isn't in plain fact.  
Pony started rubbing his cheek where he seemed to have been hit the most.  
I walked over to him. "You ok Pony, did they hurt you bad?"  
"Yeah, but I'm ok." He was starting to shake, and I wrapped my arms around him.  
Ponyboy was my youngest kid brother. He's 15, good build, and pretty tall. He looked almost exactly like my other kid brother Sodapop. He's got these dark-brown eyes, and dark-brown, almost red, hair. Pony was the one who loved to draw, write, see movies, do anything that used his imagination really. Darry always thought that he should keep his heads outta the clouds, but Soda an me think that he should keep imagining. We knew that he'd get somewhere if he kept imagining. Darry was a bit too hard on Pony at times, but we all  
  
knew that was cause it was out of concern.  
Soda came loping back. Soda examined Pony's head a bit. "You got cut up a little, huh, Ponyboy?"  
Pony looked bleakly up at Soda. "I did?"  
"You're bleedin like a stuck pig."  
"I am?"  
I quickly wet the end of a handkercheif and pressed it up against Pony's head. "Look!" I said showing Pony the handkercheif. "Did they pull a blade on you?"  
"Yeah."  
Soda is probably the most handsomest guy that I've ever seen. Not like Darry-Soda's movie-star material, like the type of guy you stop on the stree to see stroll right past you. He's probably as tall as me, and he's a bit slimmer than Darry. He's got this sensitive face that seems reckless and thoughtful at the same moment. He had Mom's hair, and even looked like her, but didn't act like her, he acted more like Dad. Dark-gold hair that he combs back-long and silky and straitght-and the summer sun colors it to a stunning wheat gold. His eyes are dark-brown. Thy're always lively, dancing, and recklessly laughing that can be kind and gentle one minutet, and be the ipitamy of the underworld the next. He's got Dad eyes, but Soda is one uniuqe person. He doesn't have to get near alcohol to get high, he's high off of just living. He even understands everyone.  
I looked at pony a bit more, and saw some tears well up in his eyes, although he wiped them away really quick, cause you don't cry infront of Darry unless you're hurt like Johnny was that day we found him at corner-lot. He was shaking so bad, it was like he was the epicenter of an earthquake. Soda put a hand on his shoulder. "Easy Pony, they ain't gonna hurt you no more."  
"I know, I'm just spooked that's all."Pony drew a quivering breath.  
Soda rubbedhis hair." You're an ok kid, Pony."  
I saw Pony grin, and I had to grin too. Soda was the only person that could anyone grin, probably casue he was grinning all the time. I looked up at Soda. "Yer crazy, Soda, Out of your mind."  
Darry looked at all three of us as if he were gonna knock all of our heads together. "You're all nuts."  
I cocked an eyebrow, a trick that me and Soda had picked up form Two- Bit. "Don't you forget that I'm the oldest one in this family."  
Darry satred at me for a second, then cracked a grin. "Yeah, you're right Candycane."  
My real name is Candycane, but sometimes they call me Lollipop, or SweetTart, but Two-Bit has a special name for me, Kit-Kat, I guess it's cause he likes me.  
The rest of the gang had started to show up after they chased them to their car, and threw rocks at them. They came runnig to us now. They were four lean, hard guys. All of them were as tough as nails, and looked the part. We grew up with them, and we were all as close as family.  
Steve Randal is nineteen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair that he kept back in complicated swirls. He was Cocky, smart, and Soda's best friend since grade school. His specialty was cars. He could lift a hubcap quickeer and quieter than anyone in this town. He knew cars upsidedown, and backwards, and drove anything on wheels. He and Soda worked at the same gas station - Steve part time and Soda full time- and their sation got more peoples than any in town. Either cause Soda could lure all the girls, or cause Steve was great with cars. Steve thought that Pony was a tagalong, casue Soda took him places, unless they were picking up girls or something.  
Two-Bit Mathews was the oldest of our gang, only one year older than me, and he was the wisecracker of the group. He's about six feet tall, stocky in build, and had rusty-colored side burns which he was proud of.He had grey eyes and a wide grin, and you couldn't stop him from making funny remarks, even if it was gonna save his life. No one could shut him up, he had to put his two-bits worth in, thus his name. Everyone always forgot that his real name  
  
was Keith, even his teachers forgot. Life was constatnly a big joke to Two- Bit. He is famous for his black-handled switchblade, and shopliftting, and he was always mouthing off to the cops. He couldn't help it. He told me that he had to tell the cops a lot of his jokes just to brighten up their dull lives. He liked blondes, fights, drinking, blondes, and for the oddest reason, school. he was still a jounior at eighteen and a half, and still is.He just went for kicks. I liked him real well, partially cause he kept us in stitches, and partially cause he was kinda romantic around me, even though I wasn't a blonde.  
If you ever met a real bad boy, he wouldn't even compare to Dallas Winston- Dally. Pony kept drawing pictures of him when he was sorta in on of those dangerous moods, cause then he could get down Dally's personality in a few lines. He has this elfish face with a pointed chin, sharp animal teeth, and ears like a lynx. His hair was just so blonde that it was an off whitish color.He hated haircuts, and hair grease, so his hair just waved around in the wind.He had  
  
these blazing blue eyes that were cold with that hatred of the world. He had been on the wild side of New York for a few years, three to be exact. He somehow managed to get put in jail by the age of ten. He was probably the toughest one around in the neighborhood and in our gang, meaner and colder.  
  
He was probably as wild as Tim Shepard's gang.  
When Dally had lived in New York, he got rid of his steam in gang fight. There really isn't any gangs here, just a group of friends who stick together. Most of the fighting persists between the social classes. The fighting is called a rumble. A rumble is kind of born of a grudge fight, and the fighters usually get their friends to come with them. There are a few gangs here, but there ain't no gang rivalry, so even if Dally was in a gang, he really couldn't have anything to hate, only Socs. And as bad as you whip em, they get all the breaks in life, and that fact ain't gonna change. That might explain why Dally had this mean streak.  
Dally had made quite a rep. He had a file on him at the sation a mile long. He get's arrested, gets drunk, rode in rodeos, rolled drunks, jumped small kids, lied, cheated, and stole. Let's just put it this way, he did practically everything. Although he was towe-headed, he was smart, and you can't disrespect a greaser that's smart.  
Johnny Cade was the last of our gang. He was just like a puppy that had  
  
been lost and hit too many times. He was the second youngeswt. He had these  
  
big, black eyes in a tanned face with hair that when he combed to the side it would fall into shaggy bangs across his forehead because it was so long. He  
  
wore this suspicious look in his eyes, and I couldn't blame him, He kept getting beatings from the Socs, and at home. His parents never gave a hang about where he was, and if he was alive. He's the gang's pet, everyone's kid brother. His dad kept beating up on him, and his mom ignored him, unless she was steamed at something, then she'd be yelling so luod you could hear it down at our house; all the gang heard it, it was hard for us to listen to it, cause it was like Johnny's mom was yelling at us too.I think that he'd have run far away a thousand times if we had never been there for him. We were the only people that actully cared and showed him love.  
Pony looked up at Two-Bit. "So did ya catch em?"  
"Nup, They got away this time those dirty..."Two-Bit and I started to see who could make up the best cuss words for the Socs, like we always did after we beat up the Socs.  
"The kid's ok then?"  
"Yep." Pony was usually quiet around the gang, Soda was really the only  
  
person that could get Pony to talk. "So Dally, I didn't know you were outta the cooler?" He was trying to change the subject.  
"Got off early, good behavior." Dally lit a cigarette and handed it to Johnny. Everyone else sat down to have one too, ecept Darry, he'd never somke, cause he didn't wanna ruin his sport skills, or somethin like that. A smoke always lessens the tension. I figured that the cigarette was calming down Pony, cause his color was coming back, and he'd stoped shaking. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow. "Nice lookin bruise you got there."  
Pony touched his cheek lightly. "Really?"  
Two-Bit nodded sagely. "Nice cut too, makes you look tough."  
Two-Bit put an arm around my shoulders. "You been beatin up more Socs lately or what? I swear, you got some nice muscle on ya there. Soon enough,  
  
you'll be able to whip Dally when he's in one of his dangerous moods."  
I kinda giggled and I saw Two-Bit blush a bit. "You're stupid if you'd think I'd take on Dally when he was in one of those moods, even if I was that strong."  
He grinned. "Well you do have a point there."  
Dally looked over at me. "You're a good lookin gal who has brains too. Two-Bit, how'd you get so lucky?"  
"No. She's the lucky one.. She gets to date me!"  
I kinda gave him one of those looks that said "You better watch out..." in a sorta sarcastic way. "Why are you proclaiming that I'm goin steady with you  
  
even though it ain't true?" I just shook my head.  
Two-Bit just sat there and shrugged  
Steve flicked his ashes towards Pony. "What were you doin walkin by your lonesome?"  
Pony looked a bit relentless to tell Darry. "I was cominhome from the movies. I didn't think..."  
"You don't ever think," Darry broke in, "not at home or anywhere when it counts. You must think at school, with all those good grades you bring home, and you've always got your head in a book, but do you ever use your head for common sense? No siree, bub. And if you did have to go by yourself, you should have carried a blade."  
Pony looked at the hole in his tennis shoe. I felt sorry for him. I stood up and looked over at Darry. "...But do you ever use your head for common sense? No sirere bub. It just ain't Pony's fault that he likes movies and the Socs like to jump us. If he had carried a blade with him, He'd of gotten killed. Did you ever think of that?"  
Darry loked impatiant. And I glared back at him. "Don't you even start on the kid-brother topic. I'm older than you by a year, so I've got more power and superiorty than you, so it'd be good if you just keep your trap shut."  
Two-Bit looked over at Pony. "Next time get one of us to go with you, Ponyboy, any of us will."  
Speakin of movies" Dally yawned, flipping away his cigarette end. "I'm walkin over to the Nightly Double tomorow night. Anybody want to come and hunt some action?"  
Steve shook his head. "Me and Soda are gonna pick up Evie and Sandy for  
  
the game."  
Darry sighed just like he always did. "No I can't, I'm working tomorow night." Darry hardly had any time to do much nowadays. I offered to get a job, but he said that women shouldn't work, so I can't fight that.  
Dally looked over at the rest of us. "Candy, Two-Bit, Pony, Johnnycake,  
  
wanna come?  
Pony kinda nodded his head, "Me and Johnny'll come. Is that ok Candy?"  
I shook my head. "Sure ya can, but be home around midnight ok?"  
He nodded. I was really leanient to let Pony go places, even on school nights, just as long he didn't have failing grades.  
"I was plannin' on gettin' boozed up tomorrow night. If I don't, I'll come over and find y'all."  
I slightly shook my head. "I was plannin on goin with Two-Bit. I'll make sure he comes over though."  
I saw Two-Bit looking at his switchblade as we walked home. Pony kept saying that we deserve most of the trouble that we get. He keeps telling me that Dally deserves most of it, and he does, but I don't always agree on that. And he says that Two-Bit don't need or want half the things he takes. He just likes to take things that aren't nailed down or anything. We all can understand why Soda and Steve get into drag races and fights so much. They got way too much feelin and enrgy to blow off.  
When I got into the house from drinkin a can of beer with Two-Bit, Soda  
  
was giving Darry a back rub. "Rub harder Soda, or you'll put me to sleep."  
I kinda figured he would. Soda can put you to sleep if he tries at it. Darry keeps pulling muscles when he tries to show off by caryin two bundles of roofing at a time up the ladders at work. I felt so bad for him cause he was workin like an old man when he's only twenty. Darry had been to school, played football, He was the best halfback on the team, He was even voted boy of the year. But since we had hardly any money, we couldn't send him to college, even with the football scholarship he'd gotten. Now he works two jobs, and it hurts me to see him like that, but he insists that I shouldn't work.  
Everyone had gone to sleep by the time I got done daydreaming of Two- Bit. Why I can never get him out of my head at night is beyond me, well no, I am  
  
his girl in a way, even if we aren't goin steady. He is such a nice guy, he'd give the shirt off his back if you needed it, well maybe only for the gang, and the gang's cousins, but that's about it.  
We're all nice to the gang's cousins that come down for a visit. Once Two-Bit's guy cousin, Mike, came up from Texas. Boy he sure acted a lot like Two-Bit. They were both the same age, and looked almost alike. I just didn't like the way he kept pressuring me into doing stuff. Like one night, after Soda, Mike, Two-Bit, and me had gone to a bar, Mike had asked if I wanted to go to the back room with him and get to "know each other better," well I can tell you that it didn't go over too well with Two-Bit and Soda. I slapped him upside the head, and Two-Bit and Soda pounded him so bad that we thought that he was gonna be in the hospital for a few months.  
I looked outside and admired the view, I mean it was a pretty night tonight, so I figured that I should before the rain came or somethin. I had so much to think about, I didn't know where to start, but I obviously started somewhere. I drifted off into the vast corners of my mind that night, and to tell ya the truth, it felt kinda nice. 


	2. Movie Fun

*AN: I DON'T OWN THE OUTSIDERS, S.E. HINTON DOES! THIS APPLIES TO ALL FURTHER CHAPTERS AND MY FIRST ONE!! Hey, In general, thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it very much. It makes me want to update sooner! I'll try on a weekly basis, but I won't guarantee that! I just hope that you'll tell me what parts you disliked an all, I mean it helps a writer to better his/her skills with that sorta criticizm an all! So whatever you wanna vent out, please do!!!!! ^_^  
  
Dally's Chick: Thanks for the reply! I can't guarantee that one of the gang ain't gonna die, but I'll see what I can do for ya! Especially since you asked so nice! ^_^ DrunkOffOfSoda: Thanks for readin the chap. I'll try not to copy so much from here on out! =D Two_BitGortez & Karlei Shaynner. Don't worry, I'll try an update each week, dependin on how school's goin, but I can't guarantee much over my winter break.......^_^; Aaliyah-Charity: I dunno, she's not the type of person to work, but I'll see if I can convince her! ^_~ Lynn1415: Hey, thanks, every comment helps! I hope you keep reading! ^_^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~  
  
It was about 3 in the afternoon when I met up with Two-Bit at the diner. We both hadn't had anything to eat, so we went to get some shakes and burgers. He gave me a quick peck on the lips, just like he always does when he sees me,  
  
unless we've got somethin else to worry about, just like yesterday. Maybe that's why our gang seems to think that me an him are goin steady or something.  
After we got something to eat, we headed down to the Dingo, the hangout  
  
for the Greasers. The Dingo has some pretty good fights, but one time a girl got shot. We spotted a fight that had begun between a mexican hitchhiker and a twenty-three year old greaser. We saw Pony, Dally, and Johnny, but they didn't even spot us. The fight was really great, all except for the fact that the two flicked out their switchblades towards the end. We both decided to leave, cause the fuzz always show when swithcblades are flicked out during a fight.  
It got dark bye the time we got to Jay's, thae local bar. Jay's is like the dingo, cept it's a bar. The Dingo is just a place that's got a soda fountain. We saw Tim Shepard there. We walked over to him to start up a converstaion. "Hey ho're  
  
you doing?"  
"Not so good, my kid brother got sent to the reformary for the next six  
  
months."  
"Sorry to hear it. That kid sure can fight good." I grinned.  
Tim had a brother named Curly. He looked just like tim in every way, shape, and size. Curly's a pretty good fighter in a rumble. Once Tim and I caught Curly and Pony playing Chicken by holduing lit cigarettes between their forefingres. We could smell the burning flesh from it too. We went over there and knocked both their heads in and told them that if they ever did that again, they'd get the tar beat outta them. Pony still has the scar from it.  
Tim put an arm on my shoulder. "So how're things on your end of the line?"  
"Eh, same old, same old. Darry seems to get worked up on Pony more and more lately. He acts just as if he runs the place, and for some reason, forgets that I have more superiority over him, and that I'm older than him too. Bugs the crap outta me! Other'n that, every things ok.  
Two-Bit nodded like he understood, well he should, since I told him bout the problem between me an Darry every single day. Tim just grinned a bit. "Kid brothers who are only a year younger than their other kid sisters have a tendancy to think that they own the place. It's a proven fact too. One of the guys in my gang has a big sister, and he tries to run the place."  
I smiled. Although Tim wasn't too educated, he knew the score real well.  
I looked over at the bartender. "Hey, Bartender, I need two beers, and one shot of Tequila."  
"I bought the first round, so either one of you pick up the second, alright?"  
They both nodded in agreement. We all picked up our drinks, and drank it down. Tequila doesn't take too long to get into your system. Luckaly I have a high toerance for alcohol, so I donk get drunk till after my eleventh or twelvth round. I looked over at the clock and it read 8:45. "Hey Two-BIt, we gotta get going and see Pony, Johnny, and Dally."  
We both said goodbye to Tim and we started walking off to the movies. It didn't take us more than fifteen minuets to get over to the Nightly Double.  
  
Two-Bit paid for us to get in, cause it only costs a quarter to get in, if you don't have a car that is. We only spotted Pony and Johnny there, but Dally was nowhere to be found. We just shrugged and walked over to where Pony and Johnny were. Two-Bit put his hands on Johnny and Pony's shoulder, and said,  
  
"Ok greasers, you've had it!"  
Pony looked at us scared, that is untill he realized that it was us. Two-Bit then realized how bad he had scared Johnny. We all knew not to scare him like that, not after what the Socs had done to him. Two-Bit went to apologize to  
  
Johnny. We both ploped down next to each other, right beside Ponny and Johnny. Two bit looked over at the black haired girl and the red-head. "Who's this, your great-aunts?"  
"Great-grandmothers twice removed." The red-head said smiling.  
Pony looked at both me and Two-Bit, and I could tell that he was trying to figure out if we were drunk, which we were, but we'd never let Pony know till later.It was extreamly hard to tell if we were both boozed or something. We  
  
could act boozed even if we weren't. I smiled a bit  
Two-Bit started up a converstaion with the Black-haired Soc, Marcia. The red-head talked quietly to Cherry. Istarted talkin to Johnny, just to pass some time. "How ya been kid?" He gazed up at me. " I been doin real good. how bout you?" I shrugged. "NOthin outta the ordinary I can tell ya that much fer sure." He nodded. I started watchin the movie. It seemed pretty dull till the guys in the bar started brawlin. that was cool. Just then I heard my stomach growl. "I'm hungry....."  
Cherry and Pony got up to get some popcorn. "Hey you guys, I'll come with, just in case there's a fight I can be in."  
I loved to fight. Two-Bit loved fighting too. We kept holding a competition to see how many Socs we could whip. If I beat three more than Two-Bit did, he beat up four more.  
We went in the consession stands, and as I predicted I saw a few dozen Socs in there. A few of the kids turned to look at us. It ain't that often you see a few greasrs hanging out with a Soc.  
"Your friend, the one with the side burns, and her, are they both ok?"  
Pony nodded. "Yeah, Two-Bit's the funny one, and she's my sister, Candy."  
I smiled, but then it subsided as Pony told Cherry about the time when Johnny had been hurt real bad. I just walked off, but found a few Socs trailing behind me as I walked infront of Two-Bit and Johnny to sit on the railing. I could tell that Johnny was freaking out a little, but he'd never let the Socs see it. "You all wanna fight or something, cause if you do, me an my buddy here'll like tho whip you down."  
The Socs looked at me, and I could tell they weren't about to back down. Two-Bit hoped over the railing and threw his cigarette on the ground.I turned to look at Two-Bit, but then the Soc hit me right in the jaw. I fell down to kick his knee. I had to get right back up cause I was gonna knee him in the face. Luckaly, he was knocked out. Unfortunatly, another Soc came up from behind and kicked my back.  
I turned to face him, and he hit me on the same part of my jaw as that other Soc had. I quickly threw a sledge hammer punch and knocked him out. Two-Bit had accomplished with beating up his two Socs. Two-Bit looked at me  
  
worridl, and took his thumb and whiped the side of my head, and my jaw. "Um  
  
Kit-Kat, You got a big gash on your left cheek there."  
Pony came up to mee and check to see if I was ok. He had goten a few napkins, and he put a few to my cheek to stop some of the bleeding. He did the same for my jaw. "Cut it out you two, I'm gonna be fine, so just quit it ok?"  
The two stopped right there, and the bleeding subsided. I looked at myself in a small mirror that was on a Sting Ray, a Socy car. I looked reall tuff, cool, with that cut.  
I followed the guys down to Two-Bit's house, cause he was offering to give Cherry and Marica a ride home. Cherry looked over to ask Pony something. "So tell me about Darry. Is he dreamy like Soda, funny like Candy, or sweet  
  
like you?"  
Pony flinched as we stoped. "He's not like Soda or Candy, and he sure ain't like me. He's as hard as a rock and about as human. He's got eyes exactly like frozen ice. He thinks I'm a pain in the neck. He likes Soda and Candy. Everybody likes those two but he can't stand me. I bet he wishes he could stick me in a home somewhere, and he'd do it too, if Soda and Candy'd let him."  
My eyes were compleatly widened, I didn't know what to say. Two-Bit spoke. "No..." He was dumbfounded. "No, Pony, that ain't right...you got it  
  
wrong..."  
"Gee," Johnny said softly. "I thought you and Darry and Candy and Soda got along real well..."  
"Well we don't," Pony was starting to get angered. "An you can just shut your trap, Johnny Cade, cause we all know you ain't wanted at home, either.  
  
And you can't blame them."  
Johnny's eyes were bigger than mine at that moment. He looked just like he had been hit or something. Two-Bit slapped Pony upside the head.  
"Shut your mouth kid. If Kit-Kat wasn't here I'd beat the tar out of you. You know better than to talk to Johnny like that." He put a hand on Johnny's shoulder. "He didn't mean it Johnny."  
Pony looked over at me. I was holding back tears that would probably come cascading down my face at any second. "Pony! What the heck do you think you're doing talking like that? Darry loves you just as much as the whole gang, probably even more. He's just worried, cause I'm hardly there most of the time, that he might lose you or something. I could move out if I wanted to, but if I did, Darry would have of take care of you and Soda. He doesn't want you to miss out on things he never got a chance to have! He's got more worries than a guy his age ought to! Don't you see that?"  
Tears streamed down my face, and Two-Bit let me bury my face on his shoulder. "There, there, just let it out. You'll be fine."  
Two-Bit made a realization. "Pony you don't realize how bad it's tearing up Kit-Kat. She's the oldest one in your family. She tells me that she wishes she could help out, she really does, but Darry insists that she doesn't. I don't see why he don't want her too. It hurts her to see that you and Darry don't have that same foundation that the both of you have with Soda. I can see why now  
  
she don't like being home that much. It's cause she doesn't want to be stressed out to the point of dying. Stress can do that to you. My Mom is a wreak since my Dad left me an my kid sister a while ago. Trust me, it hurt her deep insde. Although she don't show it, It's really killing her."  
My tears subsided, and I controlled myself. Two-Bit migh not be outta High School yet, and he might not know too much, but he knew how to phrase things real good.  
Just as I was about to talk, we all noticed the blue Corvair that had been trailing us for a while. "Marcia look!" Cherry sounded scared. "Well, they've spotted us."  
It was their drunken boyfriends. They had been drinking, so Cherry and Marcia left them cause they hate it when their boyfriends get drunk.The Socs stopped right by us, and I noticed Johnny. He was compleatly freaked out. I  
  
noticed a guy who was wearing rings, and an idea came to me. When he was beat up in the vacant lot, he mentioned someone wearing rings, these rings gave hm a deep scar on his left cheek...  
The two Socs were trying to get Marcis and Cherry to go back home with them, but Cherry and Marcia wouldn't. "Why are you walking around with these bums?"  
Two-Bit and I bothtokk a long drag on our cigaretts. Johnny slouched a bit, and Pony stiffened. We could all pull off the tough act, and it sure came in handy. I put an elbow on Two-Bit's shoulder. "Who you callin' bums, pal?"  
"Litsen greasers, we got four more of us in the back seat..."  
"Then you should feal sorry for the back seat," I replied.  
"If you're looking for a fight..."  
Two-Bit cocked one eyebrow, just like I knew he would. "You mean if I'm  
  
lookin for a good jumping. You outnumber us, so you'll give it to us? Well..." He grabbed a bottle, busted the end of it, then gave it Pony. Johnny, Two- Bit, and I flicked out our switchblades. "Try it, pal"  
Cherry looked nervous. "No, stop, We'll go with you."  
I cocked an eyebrow. "We ain't scared of them."  
"No, I just can't stand fights."  
After the Socs left, we started to walk to our house. Pony and Johnny sat down on the ground. I stood by the lightpole. "Well You guys, I think I'm gonna go home You guys be careful, and Pony, you be sure to be home at midnight ok?"  
Pony nodded. Two-Bit walked over to me. "You ain't goin home just yet..." He nodded his head closer to my head. "Not without a kiss anyways."  
I gave him a small kiss. I knew that Pony didn't really like this sorta thing cause his head was turned away. "Well, what are you gonna do later tonight Two-Bit?" I called out as I started walking home.  
He stifled a laugh. "Probably go hunt up a game of snooker, get rip roarin drunk, if I feel lucky."  
I nodded. "Yeah, well just be careful, alright?" I shouted somethin, an I knew he understood. 


	3. Family Troubles

It had to of been eleven thirty when Darry had gotten home from work. Darry was wondering where Pony was, and I told him that he'd be home at midnight, I just didn't tell him where Pony was at. I started to give Darry a back rub. Once again he pulled another muscle." Darry, do you know how to carry only one bundle of roofing at a time?"  
He just nodded. He knew what I meant. "You better know what I mean..."  
I slowly walked over to the couch and sat down. Oddly enough, I was overcome by sleepiness. I dozed off into a deep sleep.  
  
I heard the door slam shut. Pony had gotten home. Darry looked up from the paper he was reading.  
"Where th heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?" Darry was madder than anything I've ever seen. Pony shook his head.  
"Well it's two o'clock in the morning. Another hour and I woulda called the cops to go and look for you. Where were you? Where in the almighty universe  
  
were you?"  
Pony kinda sounded a bit dumb when he replied. "I was talking with Johnny and we both fell asleep."  
Darry was compleatly enraged. "You what?"  
Soda rubbed his eyes and looked over at Pony. "He Pony, where ya been?"  
"I was talking with Johnny and we both dropped off..."  
"I reckon it never occured to you that your brother and sister might be  
  
worring their heads off afraid to call the cops, cause something like that could get you and Soda thrown into a boy's home so fast it'd make your head spin.  
  
And you were asleep in the lot? Ponyboy, what on Earth is wrong with you? You haven't even got a coat on."  
Pony had tears in his eyes. "I said I didn't mean to..."  
"I didn't mean to!" Darry shouted. I was shaking. "I didn't think! I forgot! That's all I ever hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?"  
Tears had begun to stream down my face, and I stood up. Soda walked over to Darry. "Darry..." Sodapop began, but Darry turned on him. "You keep your  
  
trap shut! I'm sick and tired of hearing you stick up for him."  
I was stunned and scared. For once, I was scared to live in my own house, and if you're too scared to live in your own house with your own family, then something is seriously wrong. "Don't you yell at him!" Pony shouted at Darry. Darry turned around and slapped Pony so hard it threw him against the door.  
The house became deathly quiet. Soda's eyes were huge. I hung my head down as Darry looked at his palm where it conected with Pony's face. "Ponyboy..."  
The door slammed shut, and I heard Darry yell after him. "Pony, I didn't mean to!"  
I had this huge lump in my throat. Darry hardly even noticed me until now. He walked over to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Candy..."  
"What do you think you were doing?" I spoke quietly that Darry almost didn't hear me.  
"I'm sorry...I didn't know what I was thinking..."  
I started sobbing. "Obviously!" I jerked Darrys hand away from my shoulder. "Exactly where do you get the idea that it's ok to hit your brother? Just because you're mad and frustrated doesn't give you the right to hit him! Didn't Dad  
  
teach you that?" Darry winced at the mention of Dad.  
"That's not what I'm concerned about though...Now with you getting upset all the time and with you hitting Pony, I don't wanna say this, but, I'm afraid to even live in the same house as my family..." I looked up with him as tears heavily streamed down my face.  
Darry's eyes became real huge with realization. He backed over to the recliner and sat down. "Just cause I hardly live here, does not give you the damn right to punish Pony however you please! I'm still the oldest one in this family! Or don't you realize that either, cause if you don't..." I stopped and realized that I was about to start yelling.  
"Look, I'm sorry about what I just said, but I am afraid to live in this house with your anger problem. I know you're afraid of loosing your brother, but I am too! And right now as it is, I have to be the parent, not you...I'm not sorry if you think that's not right, but I have to be the guardian, it stated that in Mom and Dad's will! You keep pushing me away from doing the job that I'm supposed to, and take on that responsibility yourself. You have to remember, Mom and Dad knew what they were doing when they wrote that will, and you have to respect their wishes, if not, then you have just dishonored your parents, and Mom and Dad never wanted that." I closed my eyes and shook my head.  
God I wish so bad that Mom and Dad were here. Then things would be better, much better. Dad would never have blown up so fast at Pony. He was only rough with someone only when he had to be. Dad would have understood. And Mom would have too. Mom, Dad, please let me know what to do...  
My prayer was broken when I saw Two-Bit kneeling infront of me with a hand on each of my knees. Two-Bit looked into my eyes like he was tryin ta pry somethin outta me. Steve stood over by the TV an looked at me too. "Ok,  
  
what's goin on?" Steve asked. "Both me an Two-Bit were walkin round your house when we hear Candy yelling. And we know that when Candy is yelling, something is definatly wrong."  
I breathed a quivaring breath. "Darry...He hit Pony..." I gulped down a large lump in my throat. "I just got done explaining a few things to Darry here about Mom and Dad's will, and...how I'm now afraid of living in my own house."  
Steve and Two-Bit's eyes became as huge as Soda's eyes when Darry hit Pony. They both stared at Darry, then Steve walked over to Soda. I brushed the hair back from my eyes. I was about to say something when we hear a knock at the door. Steve went to answer it. The cops came in the door. "Evening folks, we need to ask you a few questions."  
I stood up. "Yes officer, What kind of questions?" I said as nicly as I could.  
"First you may want to sit down before I continue." He notioned to me, then he and his sargent went and stood by the tv.  
"At about two twenty-five this morning, we found a young man by the name of Robert Sheldon, better known as Bob, dead by a fountain in the park..." He paused to take a breath. "We suspect that two hoodlums by the names of Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade may have done this. Since you know them, we thought you might know where they are, do you?"  
I immediatly felt my heart sink when he said Ponyboy. I felt the blood drain from my face, and I began to get sick. "N-no officer." My voice was shaking. "I-er P-pony was kinda mad with Darry, he went out to cool off for a while.  
  
That's all we know, sorry we can't help much more than that."  
"That's ok ma'am thank you for the information. We'll try and let you know if anything comes up." The two tipped their hats and walked out the door.  
My stomach gave a violent start, and I walked to the bathroom. Glory, did my stomach not feel well. I guess shock can do that to you. I had recolected myself, but I was still shaking as I walked back out into the front room. Two-Bit handed me a smoke. "Here, you need it."  
I lit up the cigarette. Soda grabbed one too. I guess Soda was really shook up, cause he only grabs a cigarette when he's nervous, or wants to look tough. "Pony'll come back here, I know he will. He's too senseful not too, ain't he?" He smiled half-heatidly.  
I grabbed a pillow and sat down in the chair that Two-Bit was in. "Come on, we need some sleep, besides it's three thirty. An you and Darry and Steve have work tomorow." I spoke notioning to Soda.  
They nodded and dozed off, or so I thought. As much as I tried, I had hardly any sleep that night. 


End file.
